Regret
by Yutaka Satoe
Summary: Lal witnesses Colonello's death, and then reflects on her time with her student. ColonelloxLal


She trotted through the darkness of the forest, holding her shoulder. It did hurt, of course, as a knife was just pulled out from her shoulder. She knew she should stop and rest, but something told her she needed to reach the clearing where two of her comrades were fighting.

She kept her speed until she could see a clearing .However, there was something wrong with it.

The grass was stained with blood.

_No. _

She forgot about the wound in her shoulder and she ran through the trees. It was so near, but to her, it semed hours away.

She couldn't believe what she saw. Two figures were lying on the grass, both severely injured and bloodied. Even though there were two people, she ran to one of them.

"You idiot!" She yelled at him.

"I'm... sorry..."

"Fool! Who allowed you to run away?!"

"I'm... sorry..." He repeated, coughing out blood.

"You..." Tears threatened to fall.

"Don't be sad... I'll always be by your side... But... Please be thankful to Viper... He protected me... At least... Tried..."

"Don't talk. Viper couldn't be saved but you could!"

"I enjoyed our time together..."

"Shut up!"

"Haha," he let out a strained laugh. "Those scoldings were fun, too..."

"Don't..." She felt her eyes go wet and tears flowed down her cheeks.

"No need to be sad... I'll always be with you."

"Stop...!"

"Farewell..."

"Don't go!"

He heaved in a breath and whispered, "Lal... I love... you." With that, he smiled and drew his last breath.

"NOOOOOOOOO!!"

Lal sat there, on the blood stained grass until some people came running to the clearing.

"Lal!" One of them called out. She didn't bother to find out who it is. The last thing she remember was fainting from the excruiciating pain from her shoulder.

.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.

She woke up in the Vongola base, her shoulder completely bandaged. Ignoring the pain, she grabbed her cloak and walked out of the room, paying no heed to Bianchi's warning of the injury getting worse.

She hastily left the Vongola base. She walked over to the Varia catle and let herself in. Immediately, she found a knife inches away from her neck.

"Where's Mammon?" Bel hissed.

"That's what I'm here for." She held back the tears. "Gather the other members."

.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.

She broke the news to the Varia members. All stared at her.

"It was too late when I arrived. Colonello was only seconds away from death."

"You didn't even try to do anything for Mammon!" Bel yelled, obviously infuriated.

"I'm so sorry..." Colonello's last words suddenly replayed in her head.

_"I'll always be with you." _

_"Farewell." _

_"No need to be sad." _

And the one that affected her the most.

_"I love you." _

She could no longer hold it, her knees buckled and she longer cared if she was crying, crying in front of the Varia members.

One by one, the Varia left the room, Belphegor being the last.

By the time she calmed down, Tsuna, Gokudera and Yamamoto had already arrived at the Varia castle. They took her back to the Vongola base and left her in her room to grieve.

Colonello was a fool, in Lal's opinion. Who said he could just run away from the Vongola base to try defeat an enemy? No one.

A wave of regret washed over Lal. Maybe she shouldn't be scolding Colonello. She should be proud that a student of hers had the courage to fight.

Sure, Colonello died in a foolish way, but he was trying to help Vongola, actually. Lal wanted to hit herself for calling her student a fool right before he disappeared.

Regret, regret, regret. That was the only thing in Lal's heart now. Many things she should have done, many things she should not have done, but it's too late now. He's gone and that's that.

She probably shouldn't imprison herself in one thing alone. She should try to move on instead.

And so she did. The very next day, she went back to her usual duties.

Even though, she would smile every now and then, there was still one thing that bugged her.

She couldn't say it to him.

She never got the chance to say those three words to him.

"I love you."


End file.
